I'm a Libertarian living in Humboldt County, CA. I've lived here in Eureka since 1973 and joined the Libertarian Party in 1992. This blog will mostly focus on local political issues, but I may stray into state and national issues as well, when I can't help myself. Please post your comments by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. Although I do moderate comments, you need not be a registered user to post them.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Town Hall Meeting In Cotton Death

I wonder if this town hall meeting that Garr Nielsen, Chief of Eureka P.D., isn't being a bit of an overreaction? Well, not so much an overreaction, but a bit defensive. I wasn't too concerned about the death of that Cotton fellow. Sounds like he might just have over- exerted himself while picking a fight with anyone he could find.

Then again, maybe it's not an overreaction. We've seen on the Humboldt blogs how quickly some are to point the finger at the local police agencies and maybe Garr decided to act first. Either that, or after seeing this notice sent out over the Redwood Peace and Justice Center Announcements e-mail list. About the only thing missing in this announcement is defining Cotton as just a child:

NO MORE DEATH BY POLICE!!!!

Sun August 12 2007

Eureka, CA

On the afternoon of Thursday August 9th, Martin Cotton II was beaten

severely by the Eureka Police Department [EPD], a sack was thrown over his

head, and he was taken to jail. According to the Sheriff’s Dept, he died

two hours later.

Local papers have given only one side of the account, spinning the story

to support a police department whose image is already marred by several

murders in the last two years. People’s reports to Redwood Curtain

CopWatch share many common threads; facts that stand out starkly against

the media's uncritical parroting of the Sheriffs’ Department press

release.

Martin was involved in a confrontation at the Eureka Rescue Mission.

Rescue Mission staff called the police, who arrived after Martin, unarmed,

had already been ejected from the Mission. The EPD pepper sprayed Martin,

kicked him, beat him with night sticks, and punched him with fists. EPD

pummeled Martin all over his body, including heavily attacking his kidney

area while he was on the ground. There were 6-10 EPD officers present

and involved in the beating.

EPD officers intimidated people attempting to photograph the public incident.

Contrary to the Humboldt County Sheriff's press release, it is clear that

35 Comments:

I think Its a good Idea for the Chief to come out and make a statement as soon as possible.I believe That the EPD waiting NINE WHOLE DAYS before they condescended to say anything about the Cheri Moore incident was a public relations disaster and showed real contempt for many of the people they are supposedly trying to serve.

Redwood Cop Watch is is a product of the imbecelic Kim Starr who seems to be nothing more than a provocatuer who wishes to squelch any serious disscussion of Police review whith her divisive rhetoric

Sometimes there's legitimate reason to question the police. And while it's curious that someone in their 20's, presumably healthy, would die in a jail cell, it seems likely meth or other drugs were involved. Unless the guy was just violent by nature.

What is Garr Nielsen going to say that hasn't already been said? Until the toxicology report comes out there's no new information.

EPD is playing into activist hands. Draw together a hundred shouting cop haters and they control the media message. Perception becomes reality in the newspaper. It worked in convincing people Iraq caused 9-11. It's working now in our pending war with Iran. Control the media and you control public opinion. Police review here we come.

Perhaps they're hoping to have a chance to roundup some of the suspected"cop haters" by having it at OH's a police and heavily republican hangout.Sounds out there I know. I wouldn't expect this crew to give Garr the time of day to just reiterate what's already been reported.

I'm disappointed that Fred published this tripe on his blog. Not only is it tripe, but it scrolls forever down the front page. I have to wade through tripe to get to other, actually meaningful discussions.

Just link to it Fred, get that mess off the front page.http://peopleproject.wordpress.com/2007/08/14/martin-beat-to-death-by-eureka-police/

It has more to do with the location of the event,and the fact that nothing new has come about.I wasn't given any other info, and don't care too much,as I'll be at the Home Depot shindig tomorrow.Fred,take a wild guess.

What would you expect from Cop Watch when you have community pathogens and extremists serving on them? But then again there are the rotten apples within the law enforcement bunch who validate the extremists by their misconduct.

Cop Watch is not the sol'n, but we do need a community public safety committee

Yeah, I heard that same rumor this afternoon. After he was placed in a cell all alone with the bag still over his head some jailers entered with rubber gloves on and beat him to a pulp. Apparently the guy in the next cell heard it. Now I don't know if it's true or not, I'm just repeating the rumor.

Anonymous said... The town hall meeting will be a shout fest for cop haters from across the county. People who trust the cops won't show up, for lack of outrage or fear of being the target of hate by the cop haters.

The newspapers will print photos and generally convey the idea that Eureka wants police review, when in fact most people attending are carpetbaggers.

2:12 PM

--> I agree with most of what the writer above wrote. I disagree, though, about reasons supporters of the police might choose not to show up at a public meeting to support them.

Last year, October 30, a meeting was held at Eureka City Hall. About 90% of the 200 or so people in attendance listened to the presentations and the protests of about two dozen people regarding the death of Christopher Arrion Burgess. They listened and did not exprsss outrage OR approval. They were there, it seemed clear, because they were interested and they wanted to learn more about what had happened.

That did not stop the wildly dishonest reporter and editor of the Times-Standard from printing a page-one story describing the event as a gathering of hundreds of Eurekans OUTRAGED at the conduct of their police department.

Neither the reporter nor the editor ever retracted or corrected their error.

Having our long-time local newspaper distort and twist the position of hundreds of Eurekans might discourage Eurekans from further attendance at important public meetings.

For my part, I think that in spite of the yellow journalism, most Eurekans will attend important public meetings anyway.

The stakes are too high to abandon our police protection to group of people who care so little about public safety. I am referring to people who do not respect lawful authority. I also include in that group the "journalists" who blithely report falsehoods as if they were facts, no matter how deeply it divides and damages our community.

People who rely on the Times-Standard for their news should consider attending a few meetings and events and then comparing what they see and hear to what appears in the paper. The discrepancies should be educational.

CopWatch and Kim Starr have NOTHING to do with the Coalition for Police Review, as she would be the first to admit, since CPR wants to work within the system to create a review committee representing the whole community -- which isn't what CopWatch or Verbena want at all.

Were you sick yesterday, esquan? Three big events: Home Depot presentation, Cotton Demo and Nielsen's open house on the Cotton Death. I didn't see one quote from you in any coverage of the three events.

Anonymous said...Wow, nice job there der/huck...And where did these so called rumours originate, pray tell?7:45 PM

Hey thanks. Here's more. Last week was absolutely nuts around here in Old Town. The tweakers were especially animated, arms flailing, loud incoherent squabbles, sittin' around on the benches in groups day and night. It was really weird. Apparently there was some LSD around. LSD? Man, I thought I got the last of that in 1977. But there's some stuff that they call LSD, or Acid, that seems to be much like speed. And I heard that Cotton was dosed. So kids, take my advice and don't do drugs. Just say no. If you want to see what drugs can do for you, take a look at some of the denizens of Old Town.